The Crimson Flame
by TwilightEternal412
Summary: AU: After months of atoning, I could finally wipe away my debt to Chase Young and gain my freedom, so long as I could succeed in bringing him the young monk he required. It seemed so simple, yet little did I know, I'd have to make a vital decision, one that could change everything I had ever known in an instant... Was it all worth it? RaixKi
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This is a new story that I'm so excited to start working on. I recently re-watched the entire series, because this was basically what my entire childhood consisted of, and I couldn't resist writing one for this amazing show!

Of course, being who I am, I shipped Rai and Kimiko; I still do.

This is an AU, with the main focus on Kimiko. This is kind of a "what if" story, so bear with me! I promise I have good stuff in store for this story.

So without further ado, here is the prologue to_ The Crimson Flame_. Enjoy!

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_Prologue_

I used to be a normal girl. There was once a time where I'd be excited to play with my friends and go to school to learn new material. I'd even change my hair every day just because I could never be satisfied with the same old style. I was so happy back then, so full of love and vitality.

But after multiple horrible incidents and tragic accidents that my mind refused to recall, I became an assassin. I threw away the rest of my childhood, never knowing the price I would pay afterwords. Killing was all I really knew how to do. I no longer had any purpose, any inspiration...

All because he had found me first.

Within his palace of malice and treachery, he trained me to conceal myself within various settings. He taught me to never trust a living soul, that I was not to show an ounce of mercy to any witnesses.

Only after months of training did I realize that the man's intentions were unholy.

He used _her_ safety to force me to do the unspeakable. I was made to do the dirty work on his path for destruction; all so that his precious claws wouldn't get painted with the blood of innocents. No, he placed all of that burden onto me, a sixteen year-old girl living with her frail grandmother, the only one her heart held love for.

Chase Young forcibly occupied a place there, sitting on my heart like a ten pound barbell. He controlled me; I was a puppet and he the puppeteer. He had assured me that my grandmother would receive the medical attention she needed, if I just did as he asked. And like a blind child, I did as ordered.

He was a cruel man. During missions, I would hear countless tales of his evil doings, and how he held no more good in his heart. I guess that's why I never tried to escape from him. The way that his emotions were always sealed away reminded me so much of myself. Yes, he was evil, but I could not raise my hand against him, for I had committed evil for him, and I cannot betray a man who saved my grandmother from the brink of death.

I slaughtered countless of innocents and even more vile creatures who dared to stand in his way. But I didn't care; my grandmother was my top priority. She was all I had left, and I couldn't bare to lose her. But even I dreamt of a future where she and I would break from Chase's chains, and live a peaceful life together for the rest of our days. Yes, it was a dream we both shared.

So when Chase proclaimed that he had one final mission for me, I could not contain my overwhelming joy.

He stood atop the steps and I knelt at the very bottom. Chase always had the need to tower over those he deemed inferior to him.

Wearing a smug grin, he said, "I give to you your final mission. It is of the utmost importance that this is executed without a single flaw. Do I make myself clear?"

"I understand, Master Chase," I replied, concealing my urgency. I had wished for everything to be over soon, so I wanted to begin whatever mission he had for me as soon as possible.

"Excellent," he chided. "You are to go to a place known as the Xiaolin Temple as my personal eye on the inside, a mole, if you will."

Confusion set as I processed his request, but I kept my expression blank. "Master, if I may ask, why is there sudden interest in what goes on in a monk monastery?"

"Because, my dear girl, there's a certain Xiaolin Apprentice I have set my sights on as a new addition to my wonderful family." Chase began to descend the staircase, bringing himself closer towards me. "He will be the one to bring my goals to fruition. But those disorderly lowlives who surround him are getting in the way. I need you to be on the inside; just persuade the young monk a little each day you are there to be more lenient towards me."

The master brought a smooth, gloved hand under my chin, lifting my face to meet his. Without hesitation, I asked, "When will the mission take action?"

Chase smiled down at me, his eyes gleaming with pride and amusement. "Immediately. Knowing the old fool who oversees the temple, you'll need a pathetic reason to stay for at least a month or two."

I hesitated, keeping my gaze locked with his. "But what of my grandmother? I can't just leave her for two months alone. What if something were to happen?"

"Do not worry about her. I shall see that she is well taken care of while you are away." He removed his hand, and motioned for me to stand by offering his hand once more. "I do not care how you do it; I just want to see results. Results that will ensure the young monk's crossing to my side, where he truly belongs."

"Understood," I reply with a nod. "How should I execute infiltration?"

Chase's lips curled at the edges, forming a sinful grin. "As I said, the head monk will need a good enough reason for you to reside there. He may be an old bat, but he's not dimwitted. I thought of over a million ways to ensure you enter without fail, and it all came down to one simple solution."

With a snap of his fingers, Chase's feline underlings gathered behind him, a few smacking there lips at the mere sight of me. I felt my stomach tighten in anxiousness, trying to grasp just exactly what my master was getting at.

"You will contact me once a week through this," he commanded, throwing me a handheld, silver mirror. I caught it with ease, and slipped it into the side of my sash. "Give me updates on current events, any threats the monks there have that could interfere with my plans, and the like. Hopefully, seeing as how extraordinary you've been lately, the young monk I seek will not need more than two weeks' persuasion until his mind can think of nothing but evil."

The feral cats slowly crept up towards me, a significantly menacing tiger leading them all on. I looked to Chase for an explanation, and unfortunately for me, he gave one.

"I'm very sorry you'll have to resort to this, but this solution was the only certain guarantee you'd have a place in their little temple."

Understanding his intention all too late, he snapped his fingers again.

The last thing I could hear was my own screams as the beasts sunk their claws into my flesh, and Chase cooing adoringly above my screams, "Good luck, my dear Kimiko."

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**A/N:** How'd you like it? Please leave a review! I love feedback and critique to improve my writing. Don't be shy!

REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!


	2. Chapter One

**A/N:** First, a special thanks to those who are following the story and for the kind review! I hope to get more as the story progresses.

And now, the story begins!

Enjoy Chapter One!

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_Chapter One_

Omi.

That was the name of the monk Chase desired. He hungered for the power the boy had, and would stop at nothing to obtain him.

Perhaps that is why he unleashed his slaves upon me. He believed that empathy was the only way to ensure a spot within the temple, so with a heavy heart, he injured me. That had to be it.

I don't know how long I was unconscious; all I that I could remember was being lifted from the ground and feeling blood trail down my left arm.

I inspected the injury carefully, horrified to find a deep cut bleeding profusely.

"Damn," I seethed to myself, "his cats did a number on me."

I could've used my fire on them, but that would defeat the purpose of the mission. I had to endure the pain, for the sake of my freedom.

Before this, I had dreamed of Tokyo, the beloved city I left behind. When all of this was to be over, I would return there with my grandmother fully recovered and healthy, by my side.

The next thing I knew, I awoke to a clear azure sky, the bluest I'd ever witnessed. After spending months in a bleak mountain in a dark, cruel realm, one learns to appreciate the little things when released from imprisonment.

The sharp pain I had felt earlier in my arm had subsided, so I took the chance to hoist myself from the ground and survey my surroundings. I was in an emerald field that was divided by a single dirt road. Scattered trees blossoming with cherry-tinted flowers swayed in the spring wind. There was such beauty here, all of it too good to be true.

With my arm limply clinging to my side, I trekked onwards down the dirt path, knowing that wherever Chase had set me was near where I needed to be.

To be honest, before Chase, I had never known anything about the Xiaolin Temple. All I knew was that it was infamous for its talented monks, and also held the ancient relics called Shen Gong Wu.

I recalled one of Chase's underlings whispering about the relics when he was not under his watchful gaze. It seemed he planned for revolt, but I never dwelled on the suspicion. No one could defeat him, and I suppose since I never saw him around again, he couldn't either.

As I walked, I began to ponder as to why the monk called Omi would call Chase's attention. If he was that strong, he might be the one whose powers could exceed even Master Chase's. However, I had no knowledge of him; I didn't even know what he looked like. And what would the other monks be like? Were they old and wise? Were they young?

For the first time in months, I began to feel excited. There were so many reasons to be thrilled for this mission: people would not get harmed by my fire, my grandmother would get all the medical attention she needed, and my freedom would be secured if Omi joins the Heylin side.

My happy thoughts were blotched out when the pain in my arm returned, and blood began to flow once more. I felt fatigued as I witnessed myself lose so much of the liquid essence I needed to survive.

I clenched my fists and carried on, trying to ignore the screaming conscience in my head telling me to seek help. If I didn't get to the Xiaolin Temple before my wounds got the better of me, I would destroy the dreams my grandmother and I had; I would lose my chance for freedom.

It wasn't until after twenty minutes of walking aimlessly I started to hear chattering in the far distance. I forced myself to walk just a bit farther, to see that there was a small town just a few yards away. If I could just push through and speak with a few villagers, maybe I'd get some answers.

But before going down, I tried to tidy myself up to the best of my abilities. I ripped the left sleeve of my robes and gingerly wrapped it around the prominent gash on my arm. By the way my arm sent a screaming fire whenever I moved it, I could only guess that it may have been fractured as well.

"Fantastic," I mutter to myself.

My eyes felt clouded, and I knew I wouldn't have long until I would need to find the temple soon, lest all of this would be for nothing.

Once my wound was wrapped nicely, and the rest of my robes were somewhat restored to the former glory (save the blood stains and tattered shreddings), I entered the village.

It was teeming with people who were busily trying to get things done. Seeing it up close made me realize that there had been some sort of massive damage done to it. Some of the petite buildings had holes going straight through one end to the other, while most were crumbling to pieces.

The people seemed to take no notice of me. As much as I tried to get information in my weak condition, none of them paid me any mind.

Next to me, I could hear a woman bickering to some of the surrounding citizens.

"...those damn robots, I'm telling you!" she ranted, showing them the ruins that were once her home. "And what kind of help do we get? None!"

Another woman, aged by the passing years, openly stated, "I don't understand why those monks believe that they can just sit around all day when our village, who has supported their cause for generations to come, and not give us any aid!"

When she mentioned the monks, I eagerly pushed myself over to them, hoping for answers.

"Excuse me," I interrupted, which resulted in me receiving glares from all the ladies gathered, "but if I may ask, where do the monks live?"

"Where've you been, sleeping under a rock?" one lady laughed.

Another added, "By the looks of her, I think she has!"

They all howled with laughter, taking in my disheveled appearance. I groaned inwardly, a bit embarrassed by their snide remarks. But I ignored them, and asked again, "Where do they live?"

The first woman, noticing the urgency, lightly said as she pointed northward, "They live at the top of that hill. But why the need to go there? They definitely won't help you; just look at us if you need proof."

"Dear, are you hurt?" One woman placed a gentle hand on my good arm, taking the one caked in blood into account. The rest of the women fell silent, immediately regretting their earlier comments.

I stepped back, bowing before them and showing them my deepest gratitude, before running off from them before they kept me there. As I ran through the village and towards the hill, the clouds over my eyes darkened, and I almost tripped twice. I could feel the drowsiness set in, while my injury bled through the silk cloth.

I tripped a third time, this time coming into full contact with the ground beneath me. I sighed to myself, glad to have at least left the boundaries of the village so no resident would dare come near me. With the force of the impact added to the pain in my arm, I began to just think maybe resting there for five minutes wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Feet soon appeared in front of my face. I didn't want to look up, for the weariness was slowly taking over. I sensed the person kneeling down, and felt their eyes surveying my body.

I grew uncomfortable, and willed myself to get up from the ground, but only managed to rise to my knees. I grasped my arm and hugged it close to my side. I weakly raised my gaze and met with a pair of jade eyes.

"Whoa girl, you okay?"

It was a boy, a little older than me, who was studying me with strange curiosity. His voice held an exotic accent I couldn't quite place, but his dark features were reminiscent of a Spaniard's. His clothes, however, were traditional martial arts robes and he adorned a black sash around his waist.

Realizing how close his face was to mine, the shock rejuvenated some of my energy, and I jolted to a standing position and backed away about ten feet.

"Stay back, pervert, or I will kill you!" I exclaimed, his presence surprising me more than it should have. Maybe not having such close human contact changed me.

The boy raised his hands in defeat, his amused smirk betraying his intentions. "Sorry, sorry! Geez, I didn't realize you'd get so angry. I was just checking to see if you were okay."

"Well as you can see, I'm perfectly fine," I snapped, hands still in a defensive position.

He replied, "That's not what it looked like two seconds ago when you were passed out on the ground."

"I-I was just taking a nap." My lame excuse did not go unnoticed by him, and who could blame him? I'm terrible at lying.

He laughed, lowering his arms to clutch his stomach. "Wow, that's the lamest excuse I've ever heard."

I growled, feeling my anger flare out. "Who are you anyway?"

"Raimundo," he stated proudly, an air of arrogance surrounding him. "And you?"

"Kimiko."

"Well, Kimiko, how about you tell me why you were passed out?" He gestured to my injury. "Is it because of that?"

"That," I spat, preparing to take my leave from the conversation, "is none of your damn business, Raimundo."

"Whoa!" he exclaimed with exuberance. "Asian girl's got attitude!"

"Are you stupid or something?" I retort. Seeing as how he was just going to find ways to annoy me, I sighed in exasperation and said, "Now if you'll excuse me."

But when I took just one step, I swayed to my right, fatigue slapping me in my face once again. More clouds gathered in front of my eyes.

_Not again._

"Whoa there," Raimundo said. I could feel his hands press against my back and arm. "You're really not looking too good, Kimmy."

"D-Don't...call me that," I breathed quietly, trying to regain the energy I lost. "I'm...fine..."

"Yeah, sure. Look, why don't I take you up to my place and we can get Master Fung to fix up your arm."

Despite my current condition, the name triggered intrigue. "Master...Fung?"

Raimundo hoisted me onto his back, relieving me and letting me relax, even though it was nerve wracking being carried by a perverted boy I just met. Though, it did give me a moment to feel at ease.

"He's the old monk who trains me. Didn't I mention I'm a Xiaolin Dragon...in training?"

My entire body tensed. Hesitantly, too afraid to be disappointed, I asked, "You...live in the Xiaolin Temple?"

He threw back a gleaming smile. "Yeah, it's just straight ahead. You were only a few ways away from it when I found you. You're lucky I was out here, otherwise who knows what would've happened to you!"

I felt a smile form on my lips. So my efforts all day hadn't been in vain. I found the temple.

When I regain my freedom, I must find time in my leisure to thank this pervert Raimundo for his help. Now, there was only one thing left to do:

Befriend Omi, and lead him to the Heylin side.

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**A/N:** Please leave a review! I love to get feedback!

REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I'm so happy that you're enjoying the story, even though it's in its early stages. Please keep on reading and reviewing! And yay for a long chapter!

Now, onto to Chapter Two! Enjoy!

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_Chapter Two_

I opened my eyes to see a wooden ceiling staring back down at me. Dazed and confused, I sat up from a comfortable futon. The room surrounding me had bamboo screens serving as walls of privacy, with the entrance to the compact space being concealed by a velvet red curtain. Plastered onto the walls were posters of soccer champions, and what I perceived to be a Brazilian flag.

No one else seemed to be in with me, but it was definitely not where I should've been resting. I felt guilty for stealing whomever's room for my own satisfaction.

The Chinese aesthetic that was not blighted by gaudy decorations sweetly reminded my of home, and I sat there for a minute longer, letting my mind wander back to happier times.

Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy it very long, for I realized that I had been changed out of my original robes and into some kind of white cotton yukata. My arm had been patched up tightly in clean bandages, and I could feel a splint keeping my arm from moving.

Who had done this? Did I really faint?

Luckily for me, the recent events that had happened however long ago came rushing to my mind when I heard an irritatingly familiar voice not too far from the room.

"I'm telling you, the Asian girl may look cute at first, but she's really nothing more than a cranky hothead."

My blood began to boil, but was halted by the addition of another voice, one that was unfamiliar and very high pitched. "Do not worry, Raimundo. I shall not make any foolish mistakes, not like you do!"

"What did you say, you little-"

"Don't get started so early in the mornin', you two," said a new, deeper voice, which held a thick Southern accent. "Master Fung said for us to let the little lady get some shut eye."

"As much as I'd love to do that," Raimundo droned sarcastically, "That doesn't mean she can just sleep her life away. In my room!"

The deeper voice sighed, "What're you wanting us to do about it, partner?"

"First, we'll have to be really quiet."

"Oh, yes, I will make sure to be VERY quiet!" the younger one exclaimed obnoxiously loud.

The sentence was followed by exaggerated hushing noises from the other two parties, in which the higher voice replied in a much quieter tone, "Um, starting now?"

Raimundo continued, "We're going to make sure she's asleep. Then, we'll gently move sleeping beauty into the vacant room, which she should've been in in the first place."

"You can't blame her for bein' worn out. The poor girl looks like she had it rough. She's been out for two days already!"

Two days? I've been sleeping for two days? That's forty eight hours wasted when I could have been going through with my task.

The fact that the monks were so empathetic to the weak and maimed just increased my respect for Chase's tactical skills. He had been right; the best way to infiltrate the temple was to become one of the weak myself.

Their footsteps grew closer to my location. I mentally and physically prepared myself so that I could pummel Raimundo into the ground.

Then, I had a theory. What if one of Raimundo's two friends was Omi, the one I was to retrieve? If I could somehow play along with their plan, perhaps I could figure out which one of them was the young monk Chase desired.

I silently laid back down on my futon, feigning sleep as three soft knocks sounded on the post of the curtain.

"Yo, Kimmy, you awake?" Raimundo's voice seeped through the curtain in the most hushed voice he could make. When he didn't receive a response, he whispered to his colleagues, "Alright guys, let's go in."

The curtain was pushed aside, and the sound of the footsteps faded away into silent creeps. I could sense them hover over me, examining.

"She does not look like a girl to me," the closest one, who had the younger sounding voice, stated in confusion.

I mentally told myself that if I opened my eyes now, I'd just give away my cover by wanting to kill the one who said that in a heartbeat.

"Trust me, she's a girl. I know."

I refrained from vomiting in disgust. Raimundo seemed so happy to prove that to someone, it was almost sickening.

"Okay, Rai," the older boy said. He stood on the other side of me, sounding the farthest away. "Now that we're in here, how exactly do you reckon we're gonna get her out of your room without her waking up?"

There was a brief moment of silence, hinting that the idiot hadn't thought that far in advance.

Yet, he broke the silence, and explained. "We lift the futon with her on it into the next bedroom. Clay, you'll take the bottom end, and Omi, you'll take the top while I put support under it."

Yes! So Omi is one of the two monks! I tried my hardest not to become over ecstatic at the development, so I just turned over on the futon, which made the boys standing over me freeze.

After about a minute, they breathed again, with Raimundo whispering, "That was close."

I could feel hands grip both ends of my futon and with the utmost care, lift me from the ground. Hands were then placed under the mat, and touched the small of my back. Knowing that they belonged to Raimundo made me nauseous.

It was nerve wracking being carried by them, not even knowing who they all were, and it only made it worse when I thought that they all could drop me at any moment. If they did, I would make sure to beat all of them to a bloody pulp for being ignorant morons, save Omi.

They were sure taking their sweet time to move me, considering the excruciatingly slow pace they were walking.

All of a sudden, a more aged voice angrily made itself known from not too far away. "What do you all think you are doing?!"

The impact of the floor against my back was enough to knock the wind out of me. My eyes shot wide open as I desperately tried to catch my breath again.

I jolted up from the floor, glaring at the backsides that were facing the source of the voice. "What the hell? Why did you drop me?!"

They all veered to me, the two unrecognizable pairs of eyes filled with anxiousness, while Raimundo's just looked shocked to see that I was awake.

"Were you awake when..." He didn't even get to finish his sentence, because I went right up to him and threw a punch aimed at his face, which he sadly blocked with great reflexes. "Hey, girl! I wasn't trying to pick a fight! I just wanted you out of my room!"

"You could have just waited until I was awake to ask me!" I shot back in annoyance. "Who even sneaks in on a sleeping girl? Oh wait that'd be perverts like you!"

Snickers vibrated from the rather burly and broad blonde wearing a cowboy hat and standing next to him. He shot his friend a dirty glare, only to result in more snickers. "Sorry, Rai, but the little spitfire over here burned you good."

"But, Clay, this woman obviously does not spit fire, and Raimundo is not being burned!" A pint-sized boy with a rather large head stood in the midst between the other two, having a puzzled expression.

"It's an expression, Omi," Raimundo groaned, rubbing his face.

My eyes widened as my gaze rested on the one called Omi. I repeated the name over a million times in my head, staring at the owner in pure shock. This small, petite midget of a boy...was the one that Chase wanted?

I parted my lips, wanting to say something to the so-called Omi, but I was interrupted by the forgotten presence who had yelled at the monks just minutes ago.

"Young monks, I do believe you owe our honorable guest an apology for disturbing her slumber."

I could only guess that this man was the infamous Master Fung. He displayed a wisdom beyond years, and had a certain serenity about him that made you want to respect him. While though old, something about his countenance and stern rule made him have more vitality to him, proving he wasn't some old man who'd lose in a fight under three seconds flat.

His sea blue eyes fell upon me, glimmering in the dim lighting of the hall. "And I too apologize for my students' behavior. I had high hopes that they would have known better than to treat you in such an unruly manner."

He bowed, and with gratitude, I returned it. The sooner I got on everyone's good side, the better. "It's really nothing to worry about. And I must thank you for your hospitality and help. I'm sorry to be such a burden."

"Of course she's sucking up to him," I heard Raimundo mutter to Clay and Omi.

He may have been an idiot, but he wasn't all that stupid either.

Master Fung rose from the bow to send a look as sharp as daggers towards his students in warning. Clay and Omi immediately got the message, proceeding to shout their deepest apologies.

The cowboy tipped his hat and said, "Deeply sorry ma'am. I promise it won't happen again."

"I, too, am sorry for intruding into your room, and dropping you onto the floor," Omi bowed, his face filled with shame. In that moment, I noticed just how tiny he really was.

I couldn't possibly fathom why Chase was so interested in him. Sure, he was a monk and a chosen one, but so were the other two. Why was he so different?

"Raimundo, would you care to apologize to our guest?" Master Fung asked pointedly to his rebellious student, who refused to join the others in their apologies. The boy crossed his arm, and remained unspoken.

The man sighed, "I'm sorry. He's a bit difficult. But I assure you that my students are not always like this." He made a motion for them all to step back as he came forward and extended a hand in my direction. "Now that you are awake, may I escort you to the dining room, where we may discuss more on what happened to you?"

I flinched. I had no explanation for him as to why I was ; I couldn't let him know about my connection with the Heylin side, nor my true intentions for Omi. "Of course, Master Fung."

I accepted the older man's hand, and with the Xiaolin Warriors behind us, he led me to the dining room. We all took a seat, with Master Fung insisting I sit at the head of the table.

When seated, he serves us all cups of green tea, as he sits and says, "It is a pleasure to have you here, Miss Kimiko."

"The pleasure is mine," I returned. "The temple is beautiful."

He graces me with a thankful smile, taking a sip of tea. "Forgive me for being so forward, but I must ask how you endured such an injury."

I laughed bitterly, saying the first thing that came to my mind, "I'm not so sure myself."

"Do you not have any memory of what happened?" he asked in concern.

When he said that, I had realized something. Feigning amnesia wouldn't be such a bad idea. "No, I'm afraid not. All I remember is waking up and wandering around the village only knowing my name and bits and pieces of the distant past until I was found by one of your students, ."

"Ah, yes." Master Fung looked over at Raimundo, who was too focused on his tea to listen to the current conversation. He sighed in exasperation, "I'm afraid I cannot apologize anymore than I already have on behalf of Raimundo."

I shook my head furiously. "Please don't apologize. He saved me, and your generous hospitality has meant a great deal to me. I promise I'll pack my things and leave immediately."

"What ever do you mean? You will be staying here until your injuries are healed. We will also do whatever we can to uncover who did this to you."

"No, I couldn't possibly!" I refused, feigning innocence.

Master Fung placed a reassuring hand atop mine. "Miss Kimiko, we are not as cold-hearted as to let an injured young lady wander around all of China without a single memory to return to."

I placed a genuine smile on my face. "I promise not to bother you during my stay."

"Now that that is out of the way, let's figure out what you do remember. Start from the beginning."

I tapped the sides of my cup, drumming a soft rhythm against the smooth clay. I'd have to just make a story of the past, and hope to God that I succeed in remembering my lies. "The small remnants that I remember before getting attacked are...hazy. I was somewhere I didn't recognize and it definitely wasn't Japan. I was talking with someone...a man? And...uh...that's really all I remember before. When I woke up, I sought help from the village. They directed me to you, though they didn't seem too satisfied about it. Their village was in ruins and blamed it on the Xiaolin Warriors."

"Eh, they always do," Raimundo interrupted, bored as ever. "It's not our fault we were gone that night when Jack's dweeb army attacked."

I furrowed my brows, amazed at his indifference. Master Fung shot him a glare, scolding, "Raimundo, those people have been our sponsors and allies for many generations. It is in our best interest and their's that we assist them when needed."

"With all due respect, it didn't look like they were very happy with this attack," I stated aloud. "A woman's home was completely demolished, and there are probably many more like her's."

Raimundo scoffed, "It's not our fault for looking for an activated Shen Gong Wu right when Jack decided to unleash a default attack."

"Which reminds me," Omi said, tapping his chin in thought, "why was Jack Spicer not there for the Shen Gong Wu in the first place? Surely he did not go too far into his sleep?"

"He must've just slept through the whole thing," Clay suggested. "This isn't the first time we just managed to round up a Shen Gong Wu easier than making mud pies."

"I'm just saying, those old crones shouldn't be blaming us, when they know we've got a lot on our plate!" Raimundo protested.

"You mustn't be ungrateful," Master Fung warned with a hard tone. "That will get you nowhere near Xiaolin Apprentice if you do not learn too appreciate the little things."

The title seemed to hit a nerve in Raimundo, because afterwards, he didn't add anything more. That's when I noticed that the other two Xiaolin Warriors had dark purple sashes around their robes, while he only adorned a simple black one. The difference in level was made obvious to me then, and led me to believe that he was indeed the weakest link.

"Now, monks, I'd like to discuss with you the situation in the village." Master Fung, having finished his cup of tea, rose from his seat. "You will spend the day assisting the villagers below and rebuild what was destroyed by Jack's robots."

Despite their master's intimidating stare, the monks all united in an exaggerated groan. Raimundo, being the idiotic moron that he was, spoke up in protest. "Why should we help when all they do is complain?! They should learn to fend for themselves when we're not here."

"And that kind of thinking of yours is exactly why you're staying here today, Dragon of the Wind."

Raimundo flashed a victorious smile, which Omi and Clay showed obvious resentment towards. That is, until Master Fung added to his last statement, "You will be cleaning the entire temple all day, leaving no floorboard unpolished. Clean Dojo's litterbox while you're at it. You will also be attending to Kimiko's every need."

In unison, Raimundo and I both stood from our seats and yelled in complete disagreement, "No!"

As the awkward silence that came after settled down, I quickly added, "I mean, I would actually like to come and help with the rebuilding. Those people were very kind to show me the way here."

Master Fung hesitated a bit, but ended up nodding his head. "I believe that would be alright. Just please be careful and mind your injuries. You are only just recovering."

I smiled. The opportunity had arisen to allow me to get close to the monk Omi, without any distractions from Raimundo and his incessant pestering. And since things were going so smoothly, I believed that this mission wouldn't require me to stay any longer than a few weeks rather than months. When Omi finally crosses over to the Heylin side, I'd be reunited with my newly rejuvenated grandmother, and we could finally go back to our normal lives, which should've never been interrupted by my moronic decision to join Chase in the first place.

Omi's voice veered my attention back to the conversation at hand. "Do not worry, Master Fung. As a Xiaolin Apprentice, I shall make sure Kimiko never leaves my eyes and shall keep my sight on her!"

"That's 'never leave my sight' and 'keep my eye on her,' little buddy," Clay corrected.

"That too," Omi claimed happily.

"It is time to finish up, young monks." Master Fung walked towards the hall. "You must start now while the day is still young and new."

* * *

I cannot explain the absolute excitement and humor I experienced when I last saw Raimundo's expression before leaving for the village with Omi and Clay. Desperation should've been written across his forehead, as he expressed much of it as we all walked down the hill towards it.

"You'll all pay for this," was what he uttered to us as he retreated back inside the temple to begin his day of grueling work.

As we made our journey down to the ruined village, Omi began badgering me with past accomplishments of his, such as how he defeated Jack Spicer single handedly when four Shen Gong Wu were on the line, or how he had stealthily infiltrated Clay's room with Raimundo and wished to see if his ten gallon hat really could hold ten gallons.

"Sadly, it could only hold nine," Omi lamented, while Clay fumed at the memory.

"How...interesting," I muttered, still trying to decipher Chase's reasoning for wanting an egotistical child on his side. But I concealed my irritation as best I could, and complimented Omi nonstop. "You're valiant deeds to stop the forces of evil are no small feat."

The young monk huffed proudly, a wide grin setting on his lips. "I'm also heroic and a very strong Apprentice. Right, Clay?"

The older cowboy nodded his head all the while rolling his eyes, obviously fed up with his antics. "Sure, Omi. You're the greatest. Yeehaw."

"Actually, I've been wondering," I said, suddenly recalling the sash logic, "how come you and Clay are the only two that advanced? Why not Raimundo?"

Clay opened his mouth to explain, but was intervened by a more-than-willing Omi. "It is because we were far more superior, while Raimundo's abilities just were not ready to be promoted to Apprentice level, so he is still a trainee for now."

His explanation was not taken lightly by Clay, and he received a slap on the back of his head for it. While Omi sniffed and rubbed the sore mark on his head, Clay delved further, and managed to clear up what Omi was leaving out. "Ya see, during a major battle with Wuya, an old Heylin witch, we had to round up all the Shen Gong Wu and hide them while the temple was being attacked. We got out of there in time, but that hound dog Rai let his pride get in the way and went back to help Master Fung. It didn't end well, and because he didn't follow orders, he was rejected promotion to Apprentice level."

Wuya... The name had been uttered many times by Chase himself, but I could hardly recall as to who she was. Though, a distant memory tugged at the back of my mind, wanting to be remembered, but I couldn't do it for the life of me.

"I see," I responded. "He wasn't ready."

"Exactly. And that caused him to go nutty for a while. He helped Wuya return to her true form and rule the world for a short time before he himself trapped her back within a puzzle box."

The reveal that Raimundo had once joined the Heylin side did not actually surprise me. The arrogant attitude and his rebellious actions were proof that he had potential to be on the side of evil. He's not that different from me, if I think about it. He had made a wrong decision, just like I did.

The topic was deserted as we entered the village. The citizens within its boundaries were already working hard to restore their village as it once was, which in a way, was very admirable. Looking at the true destruction that happened here reminded of me past missions where it was I who had exacted danger onto innocents like these. It sent shivers down my spine, and I could hardly look at any of them in the eye. I didn't have the right to come and try to help; besides, it was only for reasons that benefited my mission that secured my freedom, not for any of these people.

I idly stood by as Clay and Omi were instructed by the man presiding over reconstruction to help restore the inn to its former glory. Once they were given proper tools and equipment, we were led to the inn.

There, the woman who I had met yesterday was carrying heavy hardwood over to the men working on restoring the floor. She craned her head, and her eyes landed on the Xiaolin Warriors in astonishment and anger.

"Looks like the Xiaolin kids decided to come and help for a change," she spat sardonically, walking over to us with an air of authority. "I'm guessing Chen Li told you to come help me out. How overly kind of that old jackass."

"Now, that's no way to speak in front of a young lady, miss," Clay warned politely as he gestured to me as a quietly stood behind him.

When her eyes met mine, they widened in surprise. "Why it's you! You're the girl who was in a panic two days ago! Well, I'll be you survived." She looked to my injured arm, which was now wrapped properly and healing. "Well, I see at least they decided to help someone in need."

Omi stepped up and bowed in deep apology. "On behalf of the Xiaolin Temple and Master Fung himself, we are deeply sorry for not tending to the needs of the village before our own. We have been instructed to do whatever we can to help with restoration."

The lady paused, then said, "I accept. At least two of you showed up. How did I know that little wind punk would try to get out of this one?"

"Oh do not worry," Omi assured with a smug expression. "Raimundo has been tasked with cleaning the entire temple!"

The woman found some humor in that, and laughed. "Guess he got what he deserved." With a softer expression, she turned to Clay and said, "We'll need you for molding new walls for the inn. That easy enough for you?"

Clay tipped his hat with a smile. "It ain't my first rodeo."

As he left to begin work, she turned to Omi. "And you, kid, will use your water or ice or whatever you've got to reestablish the water pipes. Think you can handle it?"

"It will be a slice of pie!"

Seeing as how Clay wasn't here to correct him, I said, "It's actually 'piece of cake', Omi."

"Oh," he said. "That too!"

He ran off, leaving me with the older woman, who was staring contently at my arm. "I'm glad to see you got patched up, kid. I felt awful for making such rude comments to you the other day."

"Really, you mustn't worry about that," I said, trying to avoid eye contact. She reminded me of the innocents I'd slain, and I couldn't bear to relive those moments.

She shook her head, her face haggard and tired. "I can't help it. I've never been so rude to someone other than those Xiaolin kids. Anyway, I guess I should put my past mistakes behind." She offered her hand to me, replacing her frown with a smile. "I'm Tsui Lin, owner of this inn for almost thirty years now. We weren't properly introduced to each other."

Guilt welled up in my stomach, but despite that, I shook her hands gingerly. "I'm Kimiko. And I'm more than willing to accept your apology, though it wasn't required."

"Well, Kimiko, I know you're injured and all, but is there any special ability you got that you could help out with?"

I almost answered, but bit my tongue. It probably wasn't wise to let anyone know of my fire manipulation, in case word has spread of my actions from other locations around the area. "I'm afraid not. There's nothing really special about me."

"Ah, well, it's not a total loss. Perhaps you can just hand out refreshments to the workers." She pointed to a small wooden table set up with various dishes. "Just hand them whatever they want to chow down on."

"It's my pleasure to help."

Before I could take my leave, Tsui Lin gasped quietly and halted me. "Wait, Kimiko, I completely forgot! Just wait here for a second."

I waited patiently as she ran through the demolished inn, coming back with something that almost stopped my heart.

Tsui Lin handed me the silver mirror that was given to me by Chase. "You dropped this pretty little thing when you suddenly ran off. I thought it might be important, and I hoped you'd come back for it. Fortunately, you did."

I shakily took the mirror from her grasp, and clutched it to my chest tightly, not out of gratitude, but out of fear. What if Chase had tried to contact me? What if he'd done something to my grandmother? The thoughts swam in my head, as the fear coursed through my vains.

"Kimiko?" Tsui Lin's voice brought me out of my current state, hinted with concern. "Are you alright?"

"Ah, yes," I answered hurriedly. "I'm just fine. Um, actually, I think I'll go help Omi with the pipes. I'll get to the food later. Is that alright?"

She blinked, confused at my sudden demands. "I mean, I guess so. Just don't hurt yourself, kid. I'll man the food for now."

I thanked her and left immediately, not wanting to conceal my fear any longer. The only way to make sure that nothing has happened is to execute my mission with no more distractions of the past or guilt. To gain freedom, I have to forget about that for now, all for my grandmother.

I met with Omi, and was as friendly as possible, making sure all the while that we grow closer to each other, so that I may finish this hellish nightmare once and for all.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! Please leave a review. I love to get feedback! I'm hoping to get a lot of them as the story progresses so I can improve in my writing.

REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N: **So, if you haven't noticed, I've changed the story name. I just thought this was more relevant to the story line!

Anyway, thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I'd like to get many more in the future!

Well, here is Chapter Three!

Enjoy!

* * *

_Chapter Three_

"Seeing as how you took so long to contact me, I'd like a thorough explanation, Kimiko."

Even though it was just an image of Chase, he was still as menacing and intimidating as he was in the flesh.

After hours of helping the village and trying to talk with Omi, I had run to the equipment shed located in the temple's training grounds once everyone was dead asleep.

I clenched my fist around the handle of the mirror, hiding the fear behind a blank expression. "I can't apologize to you enough, Master Chase. The lack of communication was due to my irresponsibility of losing the mirror in a passing village instead of keeping it safe by my side."

Chase paused, letting my apology sink in, before closing his eyes and saying, "Very well. I'll accept it. Make another mistake like that again, however, and your dear grandmother may not live to see another day."

"I understand," I said through clenched teeth.

"Good," Chase grinned. "So, have you infiltrated the Xiaolin Temple?"

"I have."

"And how is the young monk?"

"Talkative."

"Have you witnessed his powers yet?"

"Just some elemental powers that were used when repairing a village, but nothing special."

Chase raised a brow. "Repaired? You were helping repair a village? How very noble of you."

His sarcastic emphasis on the word "noble" made my blood boil to an intense degree. I stayed stoic on my outer countenance, and explained. "It was a good chance to learn more about him."

"And did that succeed?"

I managed to release a weak laugh. "Hardly. I could barely get a word in. He kept talking about how he'd teach me some tricks once my arm heals, and how all-powerful he is."

"Yes, he is a bit eccentric, isn't he?" Chase chuckled darkly. "From the moment I saw him, I knew he'd be arrogant of his own abilities."

I bit my lip, wondering if I should voice my opinion aloud. My uncertainty, however, did not go unnoticed by Chase. "What is the matter, Kimiko?"

"I'm just...confused."

"And why is that?"

I searched for the right words to say. "I just can't seem to understand why he is in your favor. He's very egotistical, and though his elemental powers are nothing shy of impressive, I can't say they're powerful enough to exceed my own."

To my surprise, Chase howled with laughter. "Ah, my dear girl, you clearly have not seen his potential with your own eyes, so I will ignore that degrading comment about my choice in apprentices. But once you see the power that I see, you will fully understand. Now, seeing as how you've managed to infiltrate the temple flawlessly, I'll send you a brilliant reward. It will be waiting for you within your room when you return. Mind not to let it be seen by the eyes of others."

"A reward?" I repeated in shock. It wasn't the norm for a menacing man like him to be so...generous. I cautiously asked, "Master Chase, why would you bestow one upon me? I've merely done what you've asked of me."

"You're not useful to me with a lame arm," he stated simply. "But mind to keep it a secret. At least this will give you some of your strength back."

My suspicions of this reward were extremely high, but I continued on with my false gratitude. "Thank you, Master Chase. I promise to continue on with my mission with no more distractions."

"And that is what I like to hear. If you're next report is music to my ears, I may just let you speak with your grandmother."

My heart skipped a beat. My grandmother's safety rested upon the accuracy and completion of this final mission. This was no time to be overly cautious about shifty rewards from Chase. "I will not fail you."

The connection cut off, Chase's image disappearing and replacing it with a reflection of myself.

I sighed at the state of my face, wondering how someone could go from fashionable and full of vigor to one with a haggard face and no time for conditioner. My jet black hair was losing its sheen, and my skin was much paler than it should've been; more sickly than fair. Bags were forming under my azure eyes, causing me to look much older than I really was.

I set the mirror beside me and curled up against the wall. I used to be someone who always had the best trending fashion on every single day, and would never let her moisturizer run out.

I laughed despite myself. I had changed so much, just because tragedy had struck my life so suddenly; because I wasn't strong enough to move past it. I sold my humanity for strength, and where did it land me? In unwanted servitude? Shedding innocent blood all for some stupid evil lord's errands? What was it for?

What did I become?

I felt the familiar sting in my eyes, and resisted the urge. I would dare not cry in a shed alone. I wasn't weak anymore. My goals were within my grasp, and all I had to do was the simple task of making a good kid evil. It wasn't hard, but there was a tugging pull in the very depths of my stubborn mind that it would be quite the opposite.

The door to the shed suddenly slid open, startling me to an absurd degree. Raimundo walked in, staring incredulously at my current state. "Wow, girl, you look terrible."

I scowled at him, muttering, "Hi to you, too."

He walked over in front of me and crouched down. "What're you even doing in here? It's one in the morning."

One? How long had I been talking to q"It should be me asking why you're wandering around the grounds at this hour," I shot back, irritated by his presence. Quickly, I fabricated my lie. "I wanted to walk around, feel the night air, but my arm began to hurt so I came in here to rest a little. What's your excuse?"

"Believe it or not, I'm still cleaning," he said begrudgingly as he held up a filthy rag. "Master Fung said no sleeping until this place is spotless, and that includes this moldy old dump, too."

"Well, that sucks."

"Yeah, tell me about it," he said as he plopped himself down onto the floor dangerously close to me, throwing the rag beside him. "So, Kimmy, enjoying your stay here?"

I hate small talk. "It's only been a day."

"Well three, if you're counting the days you slept through," he added smartly. "How did it feel sleeping in my room?"

I rolled my eyes, placing my chin in my hand and frowning. "Are you still holding a grudge? That's what got you into this whole mess in the first place." I gestured to his rag and very distressed appearance.

He smirked. "Touché."

A hefty silence fell between us, the only sound being the quiet chirping of crickets in the night. To be honest, the stillness relaxed me, even if Raimundo was still next to me. I chose to ignore him and close my eyes to enjoy the beautiful music made by nature.

Of course, he had to ruin that for me too. "Those crickets are so damn annoying."

I sighed, dropping my head onto my knees. "It was nice while it lasted."

I could practically hear the smile in his voice as he stated with the utmost simplicity, "You don't like me, do you?"

"How'd you guess?" I peered over at him through slit eyes, watching his smug expression form on his face. "Is it because you've recognized that you're a crazed teenage pervert or a ludicrous monk who doesn't know right from wrong?"

"Okay, that was harsh," he said, forcing a laugh. "I already know I'm not exactly the best around here."

My mouth formed an o shape. "Wow."

"What?"

"That was a very selfless thing to say about yourself."

He smirked. "What, you've only known me for about two days, and you're already judging?"

"It's an unwanted quirk with females," I admitted, shrugging and turning my face away from him. "Despite the saying, we always judge a book by its cover without even thinking." It's what got me into this whole mess in the first place.

"Truer words have never been spoken," he agreed. After a moment's pause, Raimundo asked, "Is your arm doing okay?"

"It's fine. It'll be healed in no time."

"It didn't look fine when I was helping Master Fung stitch it up."

My eyes grew at the news. "You helped?"

"Of course I did!" he said, a bit offended. "Clay's hands were too big and Omi couldn't keep focus on one thing at a time, so I stepped in. I'm not all that bad, you know."

"To be honest, I didn't really peg you to be the helpful type."

"What made you think that?"

"Your reluctance to help do the chores."

That elicited a small laugh from both of us, the words hitting the mark spot on.

Though it was a minuscule gesture, the small-talk, though I loathe the thought of it, was actually very relaxing for me and a nice change of pace. I could never talk with Chase like this, in fear I say something I'd regret, or he ensuring unnecessary punishment upon my grandmother. And I was never allowed to see her, and frankly I never had the time, so bonding wasn't exactly a gift offered to me. It was like I was actually making a friend, a rare blessing I hadn't had in a very long time.

The mere thought brought my full attention back to the mission. I promised Chase no more distractions, and I was breaking that promise only mere minutes after our connection was lost.

I abruptly stood up from the floor, clenching my fist tightly around the handle of the mirror as I brought it with me.

"Yo, Kimmy, you okay?" Raimundo asked in confusion.

"Ah, yes," I lied, slipping the mirror into the tie of my robe. "I'm just starting to feel a bit faint, that's all. I should probably get some sleep."

He chuckled, "I think we both know you don't need anymore of that after having two days filled with it."

I smiled half-heartedly, sliding the shed entrance open. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Today," he corrected, putting his hands behind his head and shutting his eyes. "It's already a new day, remember?"

I sighed, nodding in agreement. As I was leaving, Raimundo shouted, "If I find you in my room, prepare for a butt kicking, girl!"

* * *

There was a man, likeness in ethnicity with me. His teary eyes were pleading, and he had a long scratch secreting blood that ran down his round face.

"You don't have to do this!" he screamed. "Please spare them, spare my family! There must be morality within you to release them!"

"That isn't likely," a menacing voice cooed. "But don't worry. Your suffering will all be forgotten very soon."

Darkness enveloped the scene, and a yellow-eyed beast appeared before me. Its jaws unhinged, and I released a bloodcurdling scream.

* * *

I awoke from my nightmare in a cold sweat, breathing heavily. Sunlight pooled into the room, as if to relieve me of my fears. I ran a distressed hand through my hair, catching my breath.

"Ugh," I groaned, "not again."

The dream was definitely one I hadn't seen before, but it was still a nightmare like the ones I had dreamed of prior to when I came to the temple. I had always had nightmares, but somehow, that dream differed in the strangest way.

It was more like a distant memory.

I had no recognition of the man who kneeled before an unknown figure. He was practically begging for his family's freedom, and something about his face triggered some sort of feeling within me that I couldn't tell. And what was that beast that was near the end?

All of those occurrences did not feel dreamlike at all. It was more like I was forgetting something..

A jolt of pain shot through my injured arm, veering my train of thought, and I seethed through it.

"He better have sent something pretty damn good or so help me," I muttered to myself, softly rubbing my splint.

"KIMIKO!" a shrill voice yelled from the other side of the curtain. I had to cover my ears in fear of losing my hearing.

And without any warning, Omi pushed the curtain aside and ran into the room, a big grin taking over his face. "Kimiko!"

"Yes, Omi?" I laughed, half-amused and half-annoyed. Did anyone ever hear of common courtesy temple?

"Your honorable, handsome, most-gracious host has prepared a wonderful breakfast for you!" He reached outside of the curtain to present me with rice topped with sauced salmon, served with chamomile tea. "If you did not already figure it out, I am the honorable, handsome, most-gracious host. I serve you a typical Japanese meal, so you wouldn't feel sick of our home!"

"Oh, Omi," I said in awe and ignoring his misuse of the renowned term, "did you make this by yourself?"

Just as the young monk opened his mouth to reply, a raging, red-faced Clay barged in next, glaring down at the food set in front of me. "You little varmint, you stole my breakfast!"

Omi released a nervous giggle as I sent him an incredulous stare. I began thinking he may not have been as good hearted as I presumed him to be, leaving the arrogance and obnoxiousness aside.

In protest, the young boy proclaimed, "I was just wanting to impress our guest with my masterful culinary skills!"

"It's not your 'masterful culinary skills' if you ain't the one who made it!" Clay growled, his chest heaving. "I slaved over that all morning! It took me hours to find the recipe online. Every man knows you don't dare wrangle with another man's food."

Though my stomach protested, I picked up the delectable food and offered it to Clay. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

The blonde, apparently not realizing my presence, turned his blue glare on me and immediately regretted not acting cordially in front of me. "Why, Miss Kimiko, I'm so sorry. This is twice now we've bothered ya."

Clay was really the only one out of the three with mannerisms. "Really, it's nothing," I assured. "I was already awake anyway." With my good hand, I take up the tray and hold it out for the blonde to accept. "Please, take your food back. It's yours of course."

Clay shook his head furiously, grabbing the back of Omi's collar in the process. "No, I can't accept it. Take it as an addition to my and Omi's apology."

Just as Clay was about to throw Omi out of the room, Omi wailed and shouted, "Wait, let me down! I need to ask Kimiko something!"

Reluctantly, Clay sighed and dropped the little monk on his head. "Make it quick, partner. You're still gettin' a butt whoopin'."

Omi scrambled over to me, wearing a glimmering grin reminiscent of an overjoyed child. "Kimiko, I was going to ask you if you would like a tour of the temple!"

I restrained myself from laughing. The monk was practically giving me opportunities to be alone with him! If I could just spend a few hours with him each day, I would be out of the temple in no less than a fortnight. It was all too easy. I'd just have to spend two or three hours with Omi, then I could sneak out during their training period to go retrieve the elixir.

"That would be great!" I answered with exaggerated enthusiasm. "I was planning on asking you earlier, but I guess you beat me to it. As expected of you."

Omi squealed in absolute glee, saying, "This is most exciting! I can finally share my extensive knowledge on the temple's history with someone who will not rise into sleep!"

"I think you mean 'fall asleep', Omi," Clay whispered next to the monk.

"That too!" Omi joined Clay, walking out while informing me, "Meet me in the dining room once you are finished, and we shall begin our tour!"

Once the two monks were out of my room, I deeply let out an exasperated breath and began dining on my breakfast.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

At least Omi distracted my thoughts from running about towards the dream topic with his impressive yet utterly boring knowledge on the temple.

"And this is the training courtyard," he proclaimed as we entered an open space filled with various training equipment and obstacle courses. "We train here between eleven o'clock and one. This is where we improve our instincts and hone our skills as Xiaolin Warriors."

"Oh, yes," I said, trying to be interested. "So fascinating."

"It is, isn't it?" Omi sighed, admiring the yard. The light that reflected off of his childish eyes proved that he had taken no notice of my obvious disinterest. "Now, Kimiko, I shall show you to the Shen Gong Wu vault!"

I restrained myself from groaning out in boredom. He had been explaining each specific corner of the temple for at least an hour and a half, and to be frank, I was getting rather tired of it.

"Oh, cool, Shen Gong Wu...great."

He led me through courtyard, and stopped in front of a tall stone tower. Inside, there was a beautiful fire burning in the center of the room. Scriptures were inscribed all along the spherical walls. It was gorgeous, but it there definitely weren't any mystical artifacts in here.

As if reading my thoughts, the stone flooring surrounding the fire lowered and formed into a brilliant staircase that descended below the floor. Omi, with a beaming smile, grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him as we began our descent.

"This is where we keep powerful objects called Shen Gong Wu," he explained as he led me down. "They were created by Grand Master Dashi to defeat the evil Heylin witch, Wuya. You know of the legend, yes?"

Ah, Wuya. Now I remember. I suppose she's escaped the puzzle box then.

I nodded halfheartedly. That urged him to continue. "Well, once he defeated Wuya, he devised a most ingenious plan and hid all of the Shen Gong Wu all around the world. Now, they have been awakened, and we are searching for them to protect them here so that Wuya or Jack Spicer does not get her hands on them."

So, this Jack Spicer guy must be on the Heylin side. He sounds pretty pathetic if his losses are this repetitive.

"Oh, Omi, that's so interesting!" I said in the sweetest tone, putting slight emphasis on the "so" all the while batting my eyelashes. "Actually, you sound like you know a lot about the Heylin side. Mind educating me a bit more on the subject?"

At first, I thought I may have risen suspicions, for Omi had hesitated for a long time. My worries were for naught, as he happily concluded to answer me. "I know that it increases in number day by day, and new evil seems to threaten our good path every single day. Wuya was our first major threat when she achieved world domination in less than a day."

"Less than a day?!" I exclaimed. "How is that even possible?"

"She did have the lower hand because of Raimundo, but we managed to defeat her with our sheer willpower!"

"Don't you mean 'upper hand?'"

"That too."

"And isn't Raimundo the one who defeated her?"

Omi waved his hand dismissively. "He was on the Heylin side at the time, but I guess he was one of those responsible trapping Wuya. It was mostly me who did the work."

"Well, I'm very impressed," I cooed, smiling with enthusiasm. Making him believe that his abilities truly were superior to the others was one of the surest ways into his ego, and persuading him further on. "You know, I'm going to be honest, at first, I actually though you were more likely to be on the Heylin side, not Raimundo."

Omi went bug-eyed, looking as though he'd just been shot. "W-What?"

Got him.

I waved my hands frantically, placing a facade of misunderstanding. "Oh, no I'm sorry! It's just that, well, seeing as how you're the strongest, it was as if you'd get fed up with the other two and leave."

"Oh," he said under his breath. "W-Well, I could never turn to the side of evil. Though I know I am superior, they are still my dear friends."

"I suppose you're right," I concluded. "I didn't mean to sound like that. You're just...wow you're just so impressive! I wish I could see your skills in action."

That seemed to drive his focus back on himself, as he smiled arrogantly at my compliment. "Do not worry, my female friend! I vow that when the next Shen Gong Wu reveals itself, I shall take you so that you may witness my awesome power!"

"HEADS UP, GUYS!"

The addition of another, brand new voice startled us both, ripping us away from our current conversation.

A minuscule, vibrant green...uh, lizard thing...slithered in, its eyes bulging out of its sockets.

The creature, not realizing my presence, kept its distressed gaze on Omi. "A brand new Shen Gong Wu has revealed itself! And I have a nasty rash to prove it." It proceeds to point out the grotesque manifestation on his scales, chipping in a repulsive manner.

I recoiled in disgust, while Omi remained calm, as if it were an everyday affair. Not seconds after the creature had complained, Clay strode in with crumbs all over his face, and Raimundo, still holding the same rag from last night. I stared incredulously, and he just rolled his eyes, confirming that he had not yet completed his punishment.

"So, what's it this time?" Raimundo asked with gross enthusiasm. He'd spent almost two entire days of scrubbing the temple up and down; it was expected that he'd want to get out of it.

The creature huffed, "So impatient," and wasted no time in revealing the contents of the scroll. On its pages, the depiction of a figure and an enigmatic object appeared, and began moving across the paper.

I gasped, my mind absorbing the strange magic that was applied onto the scroll. "That's incredible..."

"Yeah, we've seen it all before," it said, waving its hand and pushing my comment to the side. Then, the lizard took a double take, noticing my presence for the first time. "Hey wait, who the heck are you?"

"She," Omi interceded with a smile, "is Kimiko. She is our guest for the meantime, while her arm is healing." He gestured to the creature, and said, "This is Dojo, the guardian dragon of the Xiaolin Scroll."

"Dragon?" I turned, giving the young monk a look of shock. "I thought it was a lizard!"

Roars of laughter erupted from Raimundo and Clay, both of them clutching their stomachs. Dojo crossed his arms in offense, his enormous eyes transitioning into slits. "Excuse me, but I'm NOT a lizard. I'm a certified, fearsome dragon."

"Dojo!" Omi exclaimed. "The Shen Gong Wu, if you please?"

The dragon sent more death-defying glare towards me, before further explaining. "This is the Sphere of Yun. It allows the user to trap their enemy in an impervious sphere, and actually can transfer power from the prisoner to the user."

As he explained, the inscription moved with him, as it showed the figure use the Shen Gong Wu and entrap the other in a transparent sphere.

"So...it's like a bubble," Raimundo concluded pointedly.

Dojo growled a bit, "Yes. Like a bubble." He closed the scroll, and slithered over out into the courtyard. "Come on, people, there's no time to lose!"

Clay was the first to snatch a Shen Gong Wu from the vault; it looked to be some kind of colorful sash. Omi brought out a sapphire orb, beautiful in its appearance. Then, Raimundo threw down his rag in glee and removed a shimmering, bronze sword from one of the slots.

With the other two having run up the stairs, Raimundo lingered, as I idly stood around, not sure why he was staying.

"Well?" He said. His right hand gripped the sword tightly, as his other gesticulated towards the floor above.

I rose an eyebrow, crossing my arms and saying, "What?"

Omi's bright yellow head popped in from above, his eyes beaming. "Are you not coming?"

"Um," was all I could respond with. Why would they even ask me? I couldn't help them fight. Then again... "Are you sure?"

Raimundo relaxed all of his muscles and groaned at the ceiling. "What else? We can't just let you not have fun. Besides," he twirled the sword in his fingers skillfully, "I can finally prove to you why I was chosen and show you my awesome power."

I purses my lips with uncertainty. "I'd only hold you back."

"Nonsense!" Omi exclaimed, hopping down to my level. "I made a promise that I would demonstrate my strength, and I intend to keep it!"

He grasped my hand, and dragged me up the spiral stairs, Raimundo not too far behind. He brought me back to the courtyard, where my mouth literally dropped to the ground.

Dojo, the tiny dragon, had suddenly transformed into a mighty, ferocious-looking beast. He was about ten times his normal size, proceeding to astonish me. The dragon scrunched up his snout in a sneer, saying, "Not so little now, am I? Okay, guys hop on up! Time for us to go get some Wu!"

Clay was already top him, his cowboy qualities showing through immensely. Omi jumped aboard, equivalent of an eager rabbit. Raimundo began his ascent, but halted to find me hesitating. "You coming or what?"

I gave him a "are-you-serious" look, as I pointed to my maimed arm. He processed that for about five minutes, until he actually realized what I was getting at. "Oh."

He slid back down the beast, and offered a hand. "Need help, your highness?"

I almost threw up at the snide remark, and reluctantly began to reach for it, until a gust of wind blew me up onto the back of Dojo.

The impact hurt my tailbone, and I rubbed it gingerly. I sent a sharp glare at Raimundo, who was too preoccupied putting on an arrogant show. "How'd you like that, Kimmy?"

Omi patted me on the back. "Do not mind him, Kimiko. He is just a butt in all of our pains."

Clay groaned at Omi's failure. "Omi it's 'pain in the butt', not the other."

"Oh...that too."

I inwardly sighed, wondering how long this flight was actually going to take; I couldn't possibly endure this much immaturity, and frankly, idiotic male presence.

_Grandma, this might take longer than we'd hoped._


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N:** Hello all! Thank you for the reviews and follows! They're very appreciated!

There are a few things I'd like to point out before introducing the chapter:

**1.) This is taken from an actual episode, and more chapters like this one are going to come along in the story. (SEASON 2, EP 15: BLACK VIPERS)**

**2.) Also, I do realize that Raimundo is already an Apprentice by this episode, but I have my reasons for keeping him as a Trainee for my story. Don't worry, he will make Apprentice Level soon!**

**3.) With #1 being said, I have twisted the plot line of the episode for my own advantage, so it does not retain the exact same flow. The chapter is a tad different.**

Now that that's out of the way, enjoy Chapter Four!

* * *

_Chapter Four_

"How much longer?" Raimundo asked groggily, his arms swinging off the side of the dragon as he sprawled his body outwards. "It's been an hour."

"Would you stop being so impatient?" Dojo snapped, looking back at all of us with angry intensity.

Raimundo waved his hand dismissively, and gave me an enamoring smirk. "Dojo's a piece of work, so on behalf of us all, I apologize in advance, Kimmy."

The journey to the currently active Shen Gong Wu, the Sphere of Yun, had been a very extensive and a very irritating one - from Omi sputtering out knowledge into my ear the entire time to Raimundo's unexpected and highly annoying flirtatious advancements towards me. It's as if a switch in his perverted mind had turned on ever since we sat down on the dragon. Was that some sort of strange fetish to him or something?

What was a tad more interesting was that Clay and Raimundo had discarded their temple robes for more familiar, comfortable clothes. Clay adorned a simple jean shirt and even darker pants, with a red ascot tied around his neck, while Raimundo had a Brazilian soccer shirt on and cargo pants. It was a sudden change on my eyes, but it seemed...more fitting for both of them. I could practically feel my old fashion senses emerging, as I thought how the clothes had complimented their personalities, and I violently shoved them back down into the depths of my black soul.

I locked my gaze on the seemingly endless azure sky ahead. As long as this trivial mission was done with by the end of the week, I could at least keep a hold on my sanity before I snap. The only one who wasn't being a complete nuisance or resurfacing old habits at the moment was Clay, who was idly sitting towards the rear, watching the stretch of ocean pass by below us.

Omi's incessant, clearly high-pitched voice became noticeable again, and began going through my ears with loud volume. "And below you shall the Pacific Ocean!"

Suppressing the inward scream that was desperately trying to arise, I said as coquettishly as possible, "That's about all we've seen on this ride, Omi."

My distaste for Omi's repetitive comment on the sea must have been fairly obvious, because a small chuckle had elated from Raimundo behind me, and even one from Clay could be heard.

But unsurprisingly, Omi took no notice of it, and admired the scenery around him, taking the infinite blue in.

It was not long before land soon came into view, and the ocean suddenly became a scorching, vast desert, with cacti and tumbleweeds dispersed throughout the draught area.

"Well, whaddya know," Clay remarked, tipping his hat in adjustment, "it's my Texas!"

I should've known the cowboy was from Texas; it was written all over his ten-gallon hat when we first met.

In immediate response, Raimundo mockingly gagged. In desperation, he asked Dojo, "You sure the Wu is here?"

An exaggerated sigh elicited from the dragon. "Of course it's here. Am I ever wrong?"

"Well..."

"Don't answer that."

A vigorous tremor shook the dragon's body, also causing us to shake along with him. Dojo shook his head to clear himself from the shock, and said with an anxious chuckle, "The Wu's close, guys. Looks like our landing spot's gonna be here."

Dojo gracefully flew downwards towards the sandy plain, and lowered his claws onto the ground for security. As soon as we ceased movement, Clay leapt off of the ride and inhaled deeply with a childish grin. "Back home in Texas!" He whistled, taking in his surroundings happily, and by surroundings, I mean the outstretched yellow sand and buzzards plucking at dry, cracked bones, hoping for some meat. "Ain't she a beaut?"

"She" is a big, flat desert prairie, I thought, but kept it contained within my mind, avoiding any offense if said aloud.

The cowboy proceeded to actually embrace one of the nearby cacti, and say, "Ah, the cactus still look like kin to me!"

I cringed at the thought of the prickles digging into his skin, and directed my attention to the other two warriors, who were just as miserable as me.

My ears pricked up as I heard in the far distant, the revving sound of engines on the horizon. Clay had heard it too, for he had escaped his thorny embrace and turned to the direction of the noise.

"Dojo," he said, kneeling in front of the now pocket-sized dragon, "better stash the Wu. We've got company."

Everyone's gaze set on the horizon, and we all began to see the faint traces of dust kicking up, as the sound of the engines gradually grew louder and louder.

"What is it?" I asked aloud, my suspicions rising along with the revving of the engines.

Raimundo walked up next to Clay, raising a brow in curiosity. "Sounds like...motorcycles."

"Not just motorcycles," Clay said begrudgingly. With an atmosphere of suspense enveloping the area like a glove, he clenched his fists tightly as the source of the sounds came into clear view. "Black Vipers."

In a flash, a trio of pitch black motorcycles stylized in the form of a viper snake entrapped us in a moving circle. The riders' identities were concealed by smooth helmets, but they had garnered black and red dresses, confirming that they were all female. As they drove around us, Clay, Omi, and Raimundo had placed me within the center of them in a protective manner. The gesture made me feel something so unfamiliar, but I chose to ignore it. There was no need to protect me, even with an injured arm.

Howling arose from the riders, as they crept closer and closer on their motorcycles. Omi stepped away, and towards them, a sincere and unknowing smile set on his face. "Greetings, my friends." That phrase alone was enough to set off a failed groan from Raimundo and Clay both. "My name is-!"

His sentence went unsaid as one motorcycle skidded to a stop and kicked up a cloud of sand into the young monk's face. Dojo cowered and slithered behind me, grasping my leg and hiding behind it. I looked to the direction he was, and saw that a motorcycle was coming towards us full force.

I ground my teeth, wondering if using my strength in this situation would rouse suspicion. But my doubts were doused, as Raimundo ran out in front of us, holding his Shen Gong Wu out, on the offensive. "Sword of the Storm!"

Blasts of wind from all directions enveloped the bronze blade, and blew out full force towards the motorcycle ahead. Unfortunately, it proved fruitless, as the rider managed to withstand the wind and pull out a lasso to snatch his sword from his grasp. His eyes widened in surprise as the pull of the Wu caused him to fall flat on his face.

Omi drew his weapon, and attacked. "Orb of Torna-!"

In the end, his Wu was lassoed from him, and he fell to the ground in a defeated heap. The rider laughed victoriously, catching the orb with ease. "I'll take that, half pint."

The other two riders had dismounted their motorcycles, and advanced towards Raimundo and Omi, and tussled about before entrapping them in intricate knots that restrained any struggling. They overlooked Dojo and I, one of them muttering to the other, "One's a cripple, the other's a coward. No need to waste time on 'em."

As a last resort, I veered to Clay, who dug his heels into the sand in a ready position. A perfect lasso was headed straight towards him, but with swiftness, maneuvered it, and when caught by two ropes around the wrists, shrewdly threw the owners into each other and off their bikes, as he used the ropes to his own advantage.

Just as my hopes had risen, they plummeted again when the remaining rider managed to steal his hat, thus distracting him long enough for the other two to recuperate and tie him up along with the other warriors.

With their enemies piled, and Dojo and I being powerless to rebuttal, they encircled us again, the leader towered over them.

The defeat of the supposed invincible Xiaolin Warriors had considerably lowered my success expectancy. Their loss had happened so fast that it seemed only minutes had passed since we landed. And what happened to them stashing the Wu? They practically used them when Clay ordered them not to! Their strategies were beginning to really irk me. And Omi was the fastest to fall; what does Chase see in him?

"We are the Black Vipers," the established leader announced, triumph secreting from her aura. "And you've just been snaked."

As she adorned blindfolds onto the Xiaolin Warriors, unbeknownst to me, a rider trekked behind me and blew a hard fist to the back my head. I fell to the ground, pain blossoming from where the punch was dealt, and the dull ache of my arm creeping up to the surface again.

I was not an invalid; in that moment, I could have easily gotten up and endured my pain. I could have easily killed all three of them with a flick of my wrist. But I chose to lie there, appearing frail and crippled as I was thrown onto the back of one of the motorcycles, unwillingly sharing that seat with Raimundo, while Clay, Dojo, and Omi were thrown on the other two, and they drove us deeper into the desert, not any of us aware of what was to come.

Not long after the defeat, we were all thrown into some sort of cramped cart, and I felt it begin to roll along what I deduced to be railroad tracks. Oh, did I forget to mention they blindfolded me as well? These Black Vipers may have been strong enough to take down the three warriors, but they certainly weren't creative when it came to the secrecy of their base. It was quite apparent that their base was in an old Underground Railroad system, perhaps used for slaves back in the day.

As we rolled along, I decided dispel some of the gloom by whispering to them, "Anyone else over the whole blindfold thing?"

I could hear the familiar snicker of Raimundo next to me, while Clay and Omi restrained their laughs, but failed in the process.

The cart halted abruptly and sent us flying into the ground. I landed on my arm, which elicited an agonizing scream.

"Kimiko!" Omi called worriedly, "Are you alright?!"

Before I could respond, a new, heavily accented voice interrupted. "Well, well, what do we have here?" In an instant, the blind folds were removed, and my eyes landed on a hefty set, pre-pubescent girl with a blonde pixie and crystal blue eyes. They widened when she lifted her lantern to illuminate Clay, and exclaimed, "Clay?!"

Clay dazedly replied, "Uh, do I know you?"

The girl placed a hand over her heart, faking heartbreak. "Oh, well now I'm hurt." For what I presume was for dramatic affect, she brought the lantern's light to her own face and said, "Don't you recognize your own sister?"

"Jessie?" Clay breathed, his eyes widening at the recognition.

A gasp escaped Raimundo, as Omi cried, "SISTER?! Clay you never told us you had one!"

Clay shook his head in disappointment, casting his gaze onto his sister. With venom and sarcasm thick in his tone, he replied, "Would you if you knew your sibling was a no good varmint?"

In an attempt to lighten the tense air, Raimundo nudged me with his elbow and in a low whisper, said, "She sure does look like one, doesn't she?"

A tiny giggle sputtered out, despite the intensifying pain in my arm that made me want to cry. Even in somewhat dangerous peril, he still managed to find a way to try to make flirtatious and crude comments.

He scooted over closer to me, minding not to cause distraction. His jade eyes traveled to my arm, as he asked with realistic concern, "Is your arm alright?"

Sniffing, I managed to reply without my voice cracking in pain, "It's seen better days."

"Don't move too much. It's good they didn't tie you up, but don't make any stupid moves."

"Who said I was gonna even try?" I hissed quietly. Though he highly offended me by bluntly stating my supposed inability to counterattack, I bit my tongue, knowing that if I even lifted a finger against these girls, it would give away my facade of being an invalid. "Look, I can't even move right now, let alone throw a punch or two. If anything, I should be telling you not to make any stupid moves. Remember what I said last night: girls have many quirks, and secretly being a competent fighter is one of them. They have more potential than any of you ever thought."

"Leave the strategical matters to us," he ordered with unbelievable authority I doubted he was capable of. "Once you get the chance, take Dojo," he glanced over to the said-dragon tied up against Omi's ankle, "and try to locate the Shen Gong Wu. We'll catch up with you once we're finished with these wannabes."

"And how're you going to do that, huh?" I gestured to the girls who were investigating the Wu with immature curiosity by throwing them around. "They've got your weapons."

He smirked, the green irises hinting that he had prepared a rather smart-ass answer. "You forget, Kimmy, that we still have our elemental powers to help with that."

That reminded me... I had always meant to ask where their fire-wielder was. Were they just missing a puzzle piece for the whole picture? Or did the Xiaolin Temple only have room for three? What had utterly confused me was that it had been strange for me, a fire user, to suddenly appear at their temple, where they have everything but someone like me. Was it all coincidence? Was there a reason Chase, besides retrieving Omi, sent me here?

Leaving my thoughts behind, I returned the conversation in question. "Okay, another thing," I whispered, "how can you be so sure you can trust me?"

He furrowed his brows, bringing them together in seriousness. "I can't. And even though your seriousness and lack of humor does get on my nerves-" he paused, curving his lips into a small, sincere smile, "I can tell you're a good person."

The honesty his words held struck me like a dagger to the heart. If Chase was right about one thing, it was that these warriors weren't good judges of character. The compliment shouldn't have swayed me, but it did. I felt ridden with guilt all of a sudden, knowing that it was far from the truth.

"Hey!" one viper shouted next to us, her squinty, crossed eyes pinpointing us out. "Quit yer yappin'!"

Clay's sister, Jessie, brought her blue eyes back towards Raimundo and I, her stare hard and cold. "Open yer mouth again, and it'll be the last time y'all speak - ever."

Thus, our attention was refocused on Clay and Jessie, who had been having a deep sibling conversation of their own amidst mine.

"So," Jessie began through seething teeth, "you think I'm a varmint?"

Clay fired back, "I think you'd sooner tip a cow than milk it."

She recoiled, displeased with his response. She pointed an accusative finger at her brother. "You never understood what it was like growing up in the shadow of a perfect, older sibling."

"Oh, not this old sod again."

Jessie turned her back, her fists in tight balls of fury as she reminisced. "You were always the best at everything - that's why Ma and Pa always favored you over me. You'd chop wood better than me, show horses better than me, even chasing those damn ole pigs better than me. They thought you were the pick of the liter!"

I gave Clay a quizzical look. "You chased pigs?"

I never received an answer, for Jessie continued her rant. "And whatever I wanted-" she shot another accusatory glare at her brother, "you got!"

"In my defense, I only got those things because I was the oldest!" Clay protested, rising to his feet with hands still bound behind his back.

"And," she said, ignoring his defense statement, "when it came to going to monk school, guess who they picked?"

Omi popped his head up next to Jessie, cluelessly intrigued. "Who?"

She crossed her arms, eyes as sharp as knives, as she sarcastically announced, "The big hero!" She swung her hands up into the air, as if she were trying to defy some kind of holy presence. "It was like I didn't even exist! No matter how much I tried, I could never beat him."

"And instead of trying to be the best of the best," Clay said as he hopped over to the other Vipers who were stationed behind his sister, "you joined the Vipers to be the best of the worst."

She growled, waving her arms as if removing his comment from their conversation. "I'm the best PERIOD." Suddenly, an amused grin overtook her features. "Hey, I say we settle this right now - like men. Just you and me."

Omi, Raimundo, and I exchanged questioning glances between each other, confused about Jessie's self-proclaimed sexuality.

"Look here, Jessie." Clay set a stoic frown on his lips. "I may have done some things I'm not proud of, but I'm not getting into a fist fight with my baby sister."

During this, Jessie had been throwing air punches around his bound body, prepping herself for the fight. "Yer just yellow cause you know I'll whoop your-" she sent a kick into her brother's rear-end, which caused him to fly over to us, "-butt."

Omi shook his head, tsk-ing repeatedly at Jessie's behavior. "Brother and sister should not be fighting. Is there no warmth in your-!"

He was cut off as Jessie took hold of his head and began swinging him around like a basketball, saying, "Butt out, round boy!" as she threw him into Clay.

As I witnessed in horror, the girls and Jessie towered over us with amused grins. In a matter of seconds, they rounded us up and threw us into a cell, where we were hung from the ceiling by our mere ankles, swinging into each other half the time.

"So," one underling said as she peered in through the bars, "whaddya wanna do with 'em?"

Grabbing her brother's ear and pushing him back into me, she said, "I'll make you a deal." We went back and forth, like balls of a pendulum. "If you scrap with me and win, you and yer monkey friends are free to go look for yer Shen Gong Warts."

At this point, I was getting fed up with the way these invincible warriors were being treated. Honestly, I had no faith in them at all, and uneasily asked, "And if he loses?"

Jessie responded with a maniacal laugh. "Well then," she said as she walked over to a draped object taller than herself, "y'all will be buzzard food."

The curtain was removed and under was a cage containing two ravenous looking vultures, leering at us with hungry eyes and snapping beaks. "So what's it gonna be, big brother? We gonna throw down or what?"

Clay replied through clenched teeth, "You keep askin' me and I'm gonna keep sayin' the same thing: I'm not fighting you! It just ain't right!"

She shrugged indifferently, and said to her ally, "Well, it looks like our uninvited guests have decided on an extended stay in the...hospitality suite." The girl laughed at her own sarcastic joke and walked off with her underling, leaving us to dangle in the cell alone.

"Ah, thank you!" Omi called, apparently not getting the sarcasm. "That sounds most inviting! When do we go?"

Raimundo rolled his eyes, and said, "Omi, we're already in the hospitality suite."

"Oh," the young monk muttered. "Perhaps I am misunderstanding the word hospitality."

"Or the meaning of sarcasm," I mumbled quietly, no one hearing it.

"Come on, Clay!" Raimundo griped, struggling against the ropes. "Just accept the challenge and beat the living crap out of your sister so we can get out of here!"

"No," Clay answered sternly. "I'm sorry but I can't hit a girl."

"She doesn't even look like a girl!" Clay growled at his friend's truth. Raimundo added, "She looks like you with lipstick."

"It doesn't matter!"

"How does it not matter?!"

Clay smiled slyly. "I know another way out of here."

"Oh, yeah?" Raimundo countered.

Clay's hat suddenly lifted itself into the air, and under it was none other than Dojo himself.

Omi gasped and quickly checked his ankle where Dojo had previously been. "How did you remove yourself?!"

"Their ropes weren't tight enough," Dojo explained as he hopped down from Clay's head onto the ground.

Raimundo grinned and turned to me. "Okay, Kimmy, this is where we part ways."

As Dojo untied us one by one, Raimundo repeated the plan to Clay and Omi, who were skeptical when finished.

"I don't know, Rai," Clay said carefully, glancing at me. "Though I do feel bad we brought the little lady into this mess and that she shouldn't be involved in what's to come, we don't know her well enough to let her venture off."

"I agree," Omi interceded, though he did seem soft in tone. "I like Kimiko, but is it wise to let her go and find the Shen Gong Wh for us?"

"That's why Dojo will be with her!" Raimundo concluded, believing his argument was valid. "While we fight off your sister and her cronies, she and Dojo will be able to find the Wu with no obstacles. And besides, if she does betray us, which I highly doubt she won't, then Dojo will be there to stop her."

My eye twitched a bit at the fact that they were conversing about me with the subject right in front of them, but who could blame them? They didn't understand my true intentions.

With a defeated sigh, Clay finally agreed. "It's risky, but we'll give it a shot."

"Alright then!" Raimundo placed his hands on my shoulders, flashing a confident smile. "I believe in you, Kimmy. Once you've got the Wu, head towards the entrance. Chances are we'll either already be there, or we'll arrive shortly after you do."

"One small problem there," I said, walking up to the metal bars that still encased us. "We're not free just yet."

"No need to worry!" Omi proclaimed, as he pulled out a pair of chopsticks. "I brought along a spare Shen Gong Wu!" He raised them in the air, and yelled, "Changing Chopsticks!"

Before my very eyes, I watched us Omi shrunk down to the size of an ant, his body small enough to crush. "A little help to the keyhole, please."

Clay obliged and lifted the monk up on his finger, inserting him into the keyhole. Raimundo asked skeptically, "Uh, you sure you know what you're doing?"

With a grandeur smile on his tiny face, he said with absolute honesty, "I do not have the slightest idea." Before any of us could groan, he assured, "But that has never stopped me before!"

From within the dark hole, I could hear is minuscule voice call out an attack pattern, "Tornado Strike Water". After seconds of the clanking of metal against fist, Omi emerged from the other side of the bars, reverted back to his original size, and opened the door with an arrogant grin.

I had to admit, I was impressed with his optimism and his immediate success. Walking out, I gave him a high-five, as to which he blushed profusely and said, "A Xiaolin Warrior is prepared for anything!"

"Okay, so now that we're actually free," Raimundo said as he stretched his limbs, "Kimiko and Dojo will go find the Wu we came for, while we go back for our Wu and beat up Clay's sister."

Clay shot a glare at his friend, restraining his fist.

Dojo traveled up onto my shoulder. "Ready to go?" I inhaled deeply, before nodding my head in response. "Good! And don't worry about getting lost, I'll help navigate you through these dark, incredibly terrifying tunnels."

"Thanks for the encouragement," I said sarcastically. I bowed to them all, stating, "I promise not to let you down. I will come back with the Wu, as promised."

As I turned on my heel and began the trek into one of the many tunnels of the cave, I heard Omi call out behind me, "We believe in you!"

* * *

"So, Kimiko, how long exactly have you been at the temple?"

Ever since we had parted ways with the others, Dojo had berated me with nonstop questions, that hinted at this being an interrogation more than just simple curiosity.

"Three days," I replied bluntly.

"Hmm hmm," he nodded, mentally taking note of my answer. "Okay, and just how exactly did you get that injury of yours?"

"Like I said five questions before this, I don't know."

"That's a little hard to believe," he admitted in a convicting tone. "I think you're a bit too innocent, and have enough 'memory loss' to avoid suspicion from any of the others; even Master Fung was conned into your story!"

The dragon was a lot of things, but being an imbecile like the others was not one of them. "Look, I've told you everything you've wanted to hear. I don't understand why you think interrogating me is going to trigger some sort of lost memory about my injury."

"I've been around for centuries, little girl," he snapped, glaring at me. "And I'm not stupid enough to be pulled into this fabrication you've dreamed up. You're bad news, and I know it."

It'd had to have been at least half an hour of treading through dirt and darkness before Dojo's "Wu Radar" went off the charts, and all interrogation plans were thrown out the window, to my rapturous glee.

"Oh, wow," he shivered as the tremors became more violent, "it's close. Real close."

"Care to specify on how close it is?"

The dragon huffed and pointed directly straight ahead...at a rock wall. "Great, so the Sphere of Yun is behind that wall. How're we going to even get past it?"

"Easy." Dojo slithered down my back and in front of the wall, rapping it ever so slightly. "You can just punch it, and it'll crumble to pieces."

I sighed as I rubbed a hand along my face. "I know you've just taken notice of my stay at your temple, but I'm a little preoccupied at the moment." I lifted my splint up for demonstration. "I can't really punch anything at the moment."

Dojo's ears limped. "I see. Well, what're we going to do?" He leaned himself against the rocks, deep in thought. "Well, you could always kick-!"

His sentence went unfinished as the rock wall disintegrated and fell atop him, revealing an open room with sunlight pouring in from the rocky ceiling above. In the center was a pedestal that supported a golden, spherical object. I smiled triumphantly, stepping over Dojo's crippled body and to the Shen Gong Wu.

"The Sphere of Yun," I breathed. The artifact entranced me as I reached out to retrieve it. Unfortunately, my hand was held back by a revived Dojo, who entwined his body around my wrist.

"No touching," he commanded seriously. "If I see you try any funny business, I will go full on dragon-mode on you."

I sneered down at him, but obliged to his demands. I stepped back and allowed Dojo to lift the Shen Gong Wu from the pedestal. When he finally placed it on his back, he struggled immensely to get back down on the ground.

"Need help?" I asked, grinning at his discomfort.

"No!" he exclaimed, still attempting to find ways to get down. "I can do this!"

I laughed, shaking my head and walking over to him, releasing him from his burden by placing the Wu under my good arm. As he opened his mouth to rant, I placed a finger on his snout. "Look, I'm not your enemy. Believe it or not, I'm just trying to help. So, let me help."

With the utmost reluctance, Dojo yielded and climbed back onto my shoulder. "Fine, but this is the only time I'll let you do this."

"Oh, it'll be the last time, I think."

Both our heads whipped up and faced Jessie, whose face was twisted in amusement and malice. "I'll be taking that!" She lassoed the Shen Gong Wu from my arm, and laughed wickedly. "Too easy!"

I hurriedly looked behind to her, and my face fell when I locked eyes with Raimundo and the others. They had been defeated - again - and were bound by ropes once more. He mouthed an apology, but I bit my lip and turned the other way in fear of what curses might escape me.

"Thank you, honey lamb." Jessie tugged on the ropes that held the warriors together, and they were dragged along with her as she neared Dojo and I.

Clay gaped at the realization. "Well I'll be a day old biscuit, you let her to lead you right to it!"

"Well you ain't as slow as drippin' tar after all!" she retorted, facing her brother head on. "But you're still thicker than a cut of Texas Prime Rib!"

"Well at least I ain't as slippery as goat drool on an oil slick!" Clay shot as he easily freed himself from his ropes.

"Yeah? I ain't the one who's yellower than Aunt Claribelle's yellow silk custard pie!"

Okay, I may have snapped at least once on the trip. "WILL YOU PLEASE STOP ABUSING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE?!"

That silenced every person in the room, as they glued their eyes onto me. My face burnt up with embarrassment, as I nervously coughed to fill the silence.

"But the pie does sound most delicious," Omi added, which firmly ended the attention that was placed on me.

As more members of the Black Vipers appeared and restrained Clay from charging towards his sister, Jessie fidgeted with the Sphere of Yun, and her eyes sparked with interest. "See, I've done my research on these things, and I know that if we both touch this-" she waved it in front of her brother's face, "-then you have no choice but to fight me."

Jessie nodded to her colleagues, and they released Clay, allowing him to step forward in front of his sister. "So, Clay, you ready to be beaten by a girl?"

Before he could even accept or decline, the cave around us began to rupture and shake violently. The rocks above plummeted to the ground as a gaping hole was drilled through by a monstrous contraption. It too, was forced down by gravity. It landed with a thud in front of us, and the glass concealing the pilot control panel slid back, revealing a rather pale pilot with a helmet that had been written on with poor penmanship "Evil Boy Genius".

Omi lowered his brows, and he took on a furious expression, one that was completely alien to me, as he quietly said two words that would ultimately stick in my mind forever.

"Jack Spicer."

* * *

**A/N: **In the next chapter, we will have our very first Xiaolin Showdown! I'm sorry this chapter was a bit slow, but I wanted to have a bit more character interaction and more of a focus on Clay. He's just too adorable! Also hope you enjoyed the subtle Rai/Ki moments! There'll be more of those to come...hehe...

Next up, is the entrance of our favorite "evil" boy genius!

Please leave reviews! If you're a follower and haven't left one, please do so! I'd love to know your thoughts on the story so far, and ways I can improve my writing abilities.

**REVIEW, FOLLOW, FAVORITE!**


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